City Ponies Up $500K to Keep Comic-Con

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SAN DIEGO - JULY 23: General view of the atmosphere at "A Christmas Carol" press conference during Comic-Con 2009 held at San Diego Convention Center on July 23, 2009 in San Diego, California. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images)

Updated at 12:05 PM PDT on Wednesday, Apr 28, 2010

San Diego is sweetening its bid to keep Comic-Con, offering organizers $500,000 in hotel tax revenue to keep the huge pop culture event in the city.

The Tourism Marketing District board agreed to budget $100,000 annually over a five-year period for Comic-Con, saying worldwide publicity from the event benefits the marketing of San Diego as a tourist destination.

"Babes" of Chicago Comic-Con

The San Diego Convention Center recently submitted a three-year proposal offering extra hotel meeting space and discounted hotel rooms. A plan to expand the convention center is also in the works.

The offer covers 2011 and 2012, when San Diego's contract with Comic-Con International expires, plus 2013 through 2015. It is contingent on convention organizers agreeing to stay in San Diego the three additional years.

Celebrities at Comic-Con 2009

Anaheim and Los Angeles are bidding for Comic-Con and its 126,000 attendees. A decision on the convention's future home is expected within weeks.